Sports
Sea Hawks Spotlight: Alex Mistuloff
With 69 strikeouts in just 48 innings, senior right-hander Alex Mistuloff is becoming the Sea Hawks' king of the K.
When the baseball season started, Redondo Union High coach Bradey Thurman had a load of questions. Every position was open, two through nine. The only one that wasn't was the one in the middle of the diamond, the pitcher's mound, which belonged to senior Alex Mistuloff. No question.
"He pretty much was the number one guy going into this," Thurman said.
Now into the Bay League season, Mistuloff has kept the Sea Hawks competitive with his live fastball. He has not always won, but he has worked some gems for Redondo, which is in third place in the league heading into games this week against West Torrance.
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His best might have come in the league opener against Leuzinger, when he allowed only two hits while striking out 13 batters in a 1-0 shutout over the Olympians. Mistuloff also struck out 11 in only five innings of a 9-2 victory over Oak Park, nine in five innings of a 5-4 victory over El Segundo. He has allowed opposing batters to hit only .220 and has racked up 69 strikeouts in only 48 innings.
"It feels better [this year]," Mistuloff said. "I played as a sophomore and was just with the team. Now that I'm a senior, I feel like a big part of the team."
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Not bad, considering the senior, like his younger teammates, is learning as he goes.
"I've been trying to keep him channeled and focused by not overthrowing, not trying to do too much,'' Thurman said. ''He still gets back to that every now and then, but what I need him to understand is learning how to pitch to good hitting teams... Not throw strikes on the plate. Throw off the plate. Throw out of the zone and be able to spot your pitches."
As for the rest of the league season, Mistuloff feels the Sea Hawks can do more damage, especially since they've been able to score runs more consistently than a year ago. And, though he doesn't know what he is going to do once he graduates in June, he is certain that wherever he ends up it will involve baseball.
"I just like the fact that you can be one guy pitching, facing a whole team," he said.
